Club football in South Sudan has grown from city leagues and a knock-out cup into a national structure with a Premier League, a National Cup and youth and women's competitions. Here is how it fits together.
From local leagues to a national championship
For years after independence in 2011, domestic football was organised mainly through the local football associations of towns and cities such as Juba, Wau, Aweil, Bor and Rumbek. The best clubs from each area then met in a national club championship to decide the country's champion and its representatives in CAF club competitions. Atlabara FC of Juba won that national championship in 2019, and in 2022 Zalan FC were crowned national league champions before adding the country's first Super Cup later that year.
The South Sudan Premier League
The South Sudan Football Association launched a national Premier League with ten teams, which kicked off in Juba on 29 November 2024. The league was supported by a three-year sponsorship agreement with the telecoms company MTN, a sign of growing commercial interest in the domestic game. Clubs that have appeared in recent national competitions include Koryom FC of Bor, Young Star of Torit, Al Merreikh and Bentiu City from Bentiu, Holy Family of Rumbek, Lion Hunter of Yei, Nile City, Munuki, Malakia, Kator, Wajuma, Jamus, Olympic FC and Salam FC.
The National Cup
The South Sudan National Cup is the country's main knock-out competition. Its 13th edition was officially opened in early 2024 by the Minister of Youth and Sports. Amarat United lifted the trophy in 2019 after a final against Jil Al Salam, and Jamus SC were crowned cup champions in 2025. Because the cup involves clubs from many states, it is often the best chance for smaller teams to play on a national stage.
Youth and women's leagues
Alongside the senior competitions, the association launched national leagues for under-17 and under-20 players in the 2023–24 season, and a national women's league that reached its third edition in 2025. You can read more in our guides to South Sudan's youth national teams and women's football in South Sudan.
Continental competition
The champions and cup winners represent South Sudan in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, usually entering in the preliminary rounds. Clubs such as Atlabara and Kator have also played in the CECAFA Kagame Cup, the regional club championship for East and Central Africa, where they met giants like TP Mazembe and Rayon Sports.
Challenges and progress
Domestic football still faces familiar challenges: travel distances, limited facilities and modest budgets. The reopening of Juba National Stadium, sponsorship deals and coaching and refereeing courses run with FIFA and CAF support are steadily raising standards. Many of the country's best players still move abroad, especially to Uganda, Kenya and further afield; see where South Sudanese players play today.